Hurricane Collin (2022)
This is a gift storm for Collin (A.K.A. SnaggyFTW) :D Hurricane Collin was the most intense storm of the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season and left extremely devastating effects in the Bahamas, Florida, and the Gulf Coast. Initially developing from a weak tropical wave near the Bahamas, Collin gradually strengthened to 155 MPH, 927 mbar, becoming the strongest and most destructive storm of the 2022 season, having caused $96.5 billion in damages, becoming the 2nd most destructive storm in Atlantic history (only behind Katrina of 2005). |type = Category 4 Major Hurricane|formed = July 24|dissipated = August 1|highest winds = 155 MPH|wind type = 1-min sustained|lowest pressure = 927 mbar (hPa)|damages = $96.5 billion (2022 USD)|direct fatalities = 165|indirect fatalities = 12|missing = 1,638|areas affected = Bahamas, Florida, Gulf Coast (Florida Panhandle, Alabama, Mississippi)|hurricane season = 2022 Atlantic hurricane season|image location = Hurricane Katrina (2005 - New).jpg|image caption = Collin making landfall in Mississippi/Alabama as a strong Category 4 hurricane.|accumulated cyclone energy = 25.0}} Meteorological History Hurricane Collin began from a Cape Verde tropical wave associated with strong showers and thunderstorms that developed on July 21. Moving steadily northwest across the North Atlantic, the wave barely intensified, if at all. By July 23, the wave had neared the British Virgin Islands, becoming more disorganized. However, the NHC kept watch on it, and, overnight into the next day, July 24, the wave reached a favorable environment east of the Bahamas, steadily began to increase in intensity as an area of low-pressure began to develop within a warming core. Tropical Depression Three then underwent convections bursts within its core as the outer circulation bands began to appear, along with a substantially improving cloud pattern, along with a fast increase in wind speed from 30 MPH to 45 MPH as the storm began to shift west, towards the Bahamas. The NHC forecasted relatively minor impacts in the Bahamas and Florida, with explosive strengthening over the Gulf of Mexico, which, prior to Collin's development, underwent a rapid decrease in shear to near record low levels. Within hours, convection levels in Collin's core soared, resulting in explosive intensification as more thunderstorm cells within the system converged, resulting in a rapid increase in wind speed to 65 MPH, along with a drop in pressure to 995 mbar. On July 25, Tropical Storm Collin took on annular characteristics as the core became stable, resulting in little change in intensity as the system made landfall on Nassau, Bahamas later that day. However, convection began to increase once again as wind shear continued to drop off the coast of Florida, while air in the core continued to sink, resulting in a further pressure drop as a ragged eye began to become visible. Hours later, cloud patterns within Collin's eyewall continued to improve as the system collectively organized while moisture built up the core. Collin continued to approach Florida, showing landfall in Ft. Lauderdale. Within minutes, Collin strengthened to 80 MPH, resulting in an upgrade to Category 1 hurricane. Later that day, Collin made landfall in Florida, bringing inclement weather conditions, including very heavy rain and gusts exceeding 100 MPH in strength. Collin was also responsible for a powerful storm surge, that, even though it topped five feet in height, flooded areas up to 0.5 miles inland. Effects from Collin in southern Florida were worse than originally expected, as major damage from the storm was reported from Boca Rotan to Miami, particularly from damaging wind gusts exceeding 100 MPH in strength. As Collin remained annular, the storm did not lose strength while over land and emerged over the Gulf of Mexico the next day, July 26, just to the north of the Dry Tortugas. Collin had an indirect impact on the the Florida Keys and the Dry Tortugas, mainly high seas stirred from intense winds within Collin's core. As Collin continued to track west, the eye within the center became increasingly visible while organization continued to improve substantially. Collin continued to explosively intensify under a favorable environment, as dry air and wind shear were virtually non-existent in the Gulf during the season. At 1915UTC, an NHC recon flight identified a very organized core, with the inner eyewall producing wind speeds in excess of 105 MPH, resulting in Collin's upgrade to Category 2. As Collin continued to increase in size, the NHC forecasted a landfall for Collin in New Orleans, Louisiana, possibly as a major hurricane. Soon after being upgraded to Category 2, a United States cruise ship named Icelander reportedly came in contact with Collin and supposedly went missing soon after heading into the storm. No trace of the ship was ever found, and no crew members from the ship were seen again. Collin then shifted to the south slightly as a powerful burst of convection within the core deepened the storm further as the eye continued to grow in size, gradually becoming more circular in shape. Moisture feeding the storm continued improve its structure as the core temperature continued to heat up while the pressure continued to drop. On July 27, Collin strengthened to 115 MPH, officially becoming listed as a Category 3 major hurricane, and becoming the first major hurricane of the 2022 season. Collin then began to track north after a change in steering currents due to the weakening of the Saharan Air Layer (SAL), on course for a landfall in Louisiana, possibly at major intensity. The NHC issued mandatory evacuations well before impact as a destructive storm, having been reminded of the chaotic disaster, Hurricane Katrina, seventeen years ago. As a result, more than 4,500,000 people began to head east to escape Collin. As the storm tracked north, the intensification continued, becoming a Category 4 hurricane on July 28. Well before landfall, Collin's indirect effects on the United States were quite profound; powerful swells caused problems as far south as the Dry Tortugas, resulting in beach erosion, closure, and flooding while the storm persisted. Heavy outflow and wind shear from Collin resulted in abnormally breezy conditions from Texas to the Florida panhandle, as well as severe storms and squall lines persisting up through July 30, the day of Collin's landfall. Hours after becoming a Category 4, Collin attained its peak intensity - 155 MPH, 927 mbar, while still bearing down the Louisiana coastline. However, as the storm approached land, effects from increasing wind shear and less moisture became apparent as Collin began to disorganize. By July 30, Collin had undergone explosive weakening, becoming a strong Category 3 hurricane by 2200UTC, still producing intense winds exceeding 120 MPH in the inner eyewall while approaching land. At 2345UTC, Collin made landfall in between Biloxi, Mississippi and New Orleans, Louisiana, precisely the same spot Katrina struck at nearly identical intensities. Overall, heavy moisture drawn in into the storm resulted in torrential rainfall, especially near the core. Overall, due to a decrease in movement as the storm approached land, rainfall totaled a record 34.7 inches, most heavily concentrated in Mississippi, resulting in the aid of catastrophic flooding. Hurricane conditions afflicted both cities for hours due to a rapid decrease in movement from 22 MPH to 9 MPH. The next day, Collin had finished an explosive weakening phase in which the storm degenerated down to Category 1 status whilst retaining tropical characteristics. Collin then began to shift northeast while hitting major cities in Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia. Later that day, Collin became extratropical over the North Atlantic, having made a second landfall over Bermuda, remaining at Severe Tropical Storm strength, with winds remaining at 65 MPH with gusts often exceeding 95 MPH. Preparations Turks and Caicos Bahamas Florida Due to Collin's unexpected strengthening into a minimal hurricane prior to landfall, the NHC cancelled many of the Tropical Storm Warnings for eastern Florida and replaced them with Hurricane Warnings. Louisiana Mississippi Elsewhere Upper Midwest Bermuda Canada Impact Turks and Caicos Collin made landfall in Turks and Caicos as an explosive intensifying system, resulting in increasingly nasty weather conditions to the north, where Collin's core was over Nassau. Nevertheless, tropical-storm force winds exceeding 45 MPH caused considerable damage to structures, plants, and power lines, as reports of downed trees and power lines abounded. Several homes, especially those along coastal fronts to the east, were inundated due to flooding from torrential rainfall. In addition, pounding surf impacted several piers and harbors, most of which were destroyed or severely damaged; over two hundred watercraft were reported as missing or damaged due to snapped moorings. Other damages were reported, as at least twenty homes reported as damaged due to stripped roofs or shattered windows from flying debris and/or high winds themselves. In Turks and Caicos, damages from Collin amounted to $89 million and the storm was directly responsible for three deaths. Bahamas Tropical Storm Collin made a direct landfall on the Northern Bahamas, with its large and powerful circulation dropping over 14 inches of rain, causing extensive flash flooding. Florida Louisiana New Orleans Houma Grand Isle Mississippi Biloxi Gulfport Elsewhere Midwest Great Lakes Region Bermuda Canada Category:Sassmaster15 Category:CycloneSnaggy-123 Category:Future storms Category:Cyclones Category:Hurricanes